City Officers Help Clean Man’s Unsightly Yard Instead Of Fining Him

City Officers Help Clean Man’s Unsightly Yard Instead Of Fining Him

After receiving a neighborhood complaint against a homeowner, a city worker in Miami Beach decided to help instead of writing him up.

A Pretty Sore Sight

Miami Beach code compliance officer, Jacqueline Caicedo, received a complaint about an elderly man’s yard being terribly overgrown. He apparently hadn’t cut his grass in four years! To his neighbors, the unsightly lawn was “eye sore,” and something needed to be done.

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With an issue like this, Jacqueline normally would have to issue a citation against the homeowner. However, as she talked to the elderly man, she discovered exactly why he hadn’t been taking care of his lawn. The man’s story would soon change her heart.

The Heartbreaking Truth

Turns out that this guy didn’t just let his lawn duties fall by the wayside. The man was 66 years old and was battling health issues. “His balance is off. He can’t stand up for long periods of time and he’s been in a big state of depression after the passing of a very close relative,” Jacqueline revealed in an interview.

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The poor man also couldn’t afford to have a landscaping company take care of the lawn for him. With literally no options, he simply left the lawn alone and stayed inside. Jacqueline was moved by his story, and quickly came up with a plan to get this guy’s lawn up to code.

An Unforgettable Gesture

Jacqueline met with her director and assistant director, explaining the man’s situation. They all agreed to help this man instead of fining him. So Jacqueline reached out to co-workers to help rehabilitate the man’s lawn. One Saturday, Jacqueline and 11 other employees from the City of Miami Beach came to the man’s home to help.

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The employees all brought their own equipment, spending four hours mowing the lawn and pulling weeds. The kind sacrifice warmed the man’s heart so much that he came outside for the first time in a long time to thank them! “He can go outside and enjoy the scenery,” Jacqueline shared. “We come across residents every day and we don’t know what they are going through. It’s a matter of coming across, you know, a resident that is willing to share their story and cooperate with us.”